Newbie Needs help - 9800pro and Catalyst no longer working

[JohnMc190]

I installed a new motherboard recently on my HTPC (and I'm a novice), so that I could employ the e4300 processor with a view to overclocking and ending up with a machine that can play HD DVDs (I installed AnyDVD HD and PowerDVD ultra). In the process I ended up doing a Windows reinstall on a formatted drive. I managed to get online, and pursue Widows updates etc, but I'm still locked in VGA mode and despite having downloaded Catalyst, I can't get it to work. Can someone please help? I thought this would be a slam dunk....

I installed .Net Framework 2.0, which Catalyst seemed to need. I also tried uninstalling Catalyst, removing video drivers and retrying, but still nothing. One kink (not sure if it's relevant) is that the 9800Pro video card has a clarity circuit installed which allows me to output RGBHV (5 BNC outputs) allowing me to connect to my CRT projector. Still, I've used regular DVI outputs before from the card with no issue - am assuming no custom driver/configuration would be required to get this to work.

Am eager to hear advice. I'm a newbie to all this, but have gotten pretty far (with tons of hours of effort) and I feel I'm just a step away from getting there.... Worst case, should I just bite the bullet, swing by Fry's and get a new video card. I dont' need anything fancy - just enough horsepower to get me going. I don't need a HDCP compliant card, because I have ANYDVD HD which bypasses all HDCP/HDMI requirements.

 

[Matthias99]

I'm still locked in VGA mode and despite having downloaded Catalyst, I can't get it to work.

Define "can't get it to work". What happens when you try to install the drivers? Do you have updated chipset/MB drivers and the latest DirectX installed?

Details on the MB and any other hardware might help as well.

 

[JohnMc190]

Thanks Matthias99 for chiming in. Motherboard is Asrock Dual Vista 775. It has both an AGP and a PCI slot. I've 1GIG DDR2 memory in one SIM slot, two HDs, 2 DVD drivers and the xbox 360 drive. Having done the windows install and windows update, I'm still left with two items in Device Manager that are not installed properly under the header of 'Other' - one is Audio driver and the other is System Bus Interrupt, which I've no idea what it is - hopefully not essential?

To be honest, I'm not sure about updated chipset/MB drivers and the latest DirectX (I'm a bit of a newbie) Let me take a look there when I get home and pursue updates if I can find them and figure it out. I did the Windows Update, and since uninstalled the video drivers (as I heard that Wnidows update does a bad job there) and just reinstalled Catalyst. Still doesn't work though.

By 'doesn't work' let me explain - The installation appears to go smoothly (I've installed .NET Framework, which seems to be a prerequisite for Catalyst to work). I download the latest version for my Radeon 9800pro, which is 7.2. Eventually it says installed successfully and asks me to reboot. I do so, hitting F8 to get VGA mode, and when I get to windows, it gives me no promting of the program having installed - no welcome, start here configuration messaing etc.

Let me know if you need any more info. Thanks to Matthias99 and anyone else in advance, if you can offer me more guidance.

 

[JohnMc190]

I managed to find an old CD Rom with the original Catalyst drivers, and installed that (after uninstalling the latest drivers and Catalyst). However, I still end up with a Catalyst install that does not seem to recognize my card. Perhaps my card is simply dead, and I need a new one? Again, any advice most welcome.

Thanks!
John.

 

[SilentRunning]

Page 35 of your manual shows a bios setting for primary graphics adapter. Have you set it to AGP (default is PCI)?

Primary Graphics Adapter
This allows you to select [PCI], [AGP], or [PCI Express Gfx.] as the primary
graphics adapter. The default vaule is [PCI].

 

[JohnMc190]

Thanks for the great tip SilentRunning. Indeed the default was set to PCI, so I changed it to AGP. Still no luck though. I tried inserting new memory, performed a full anti-virus check, cleaned drivers, reinstalled catalyst etc, and still no solution. When I install older version of Catalyst (the one that came with my card on CD ROM), I get a blank screen on catalyst, like it's found no video card. Also, when I reboot after having removed video drivers, I get a message 'your new hardware may not work' - I get this after I bypass the driver update suggestion from windows (as I simply just wanted to try the CD ROM for those drivers). All told, it's frustrating, becase if I get a new video card, I'll need to then use the VGA/DVI output from that card, as opposed to the Clarity Circuit (5 RGBHV BNC connectors on a daughter card/output) which links directly to my CRT projector. that alone alone cost me $300 for my HTPC, so that will get scrapped if I have to move to a new card. Any suggestions most welcome. Please help, and thanks for the help and tips so far.

 

[Killrose]

Can you just hook-up a regular VGA monitor to test it? Maybe the card is bios set up for PAL and not NTSC? Maybe if you can get it to load Catalyst with a regular monitor you can fiddle with the CatControl panel to get it to work with your other set-ups.

 

[JohnMc190]

Hi Killrose, thanks for the input. Yep, there is indeed such a switch on the graphics card, but it is set to NTSC. I tried for a few more hours but then bit the bullet, drove down to Fry's and picked up a new 7600gt card. It should do the trick and didn't break the bank. It installed easily and I'm almost there now. I have HD DVD running on the machine now (thanks to ANYDVD HD and PowerDVD), although the image staggers a little here and there. I have to overclock my e4300 a bit better I think, so will pursue that. I might even need to see can I overclock the graphics card too. Anyway, I feel I'm almost there now anyway. Thanks for the help.